Wonder Mum

This is very quick, but a follow up to 'dressing like a peg bag'. It seems Baby A & Mr Big if left unattended with some pegs will make their own amusement! WM x

It's been well over a year since I painstakingly removed all 4 layers of wood chip wallpaper from our hallway, landing and ceiling. And finally, we got plastered! Woohoo! Progress! And my ever-so-clever Mr Big also put up a new bannister to match our now not-so-new staircase. It all matches. Perfect! There was the odd plastering casualty but nothing soapy water and elbow grease couldn't fix as you will see from the pics. You never know, we might even attempt the infamous kitchen soon, the rate we're going!! WM xx PS - excuse the 'porn star' moustache Mr Big is sporting - it's for Movember and not a permanent feature! x

We had a fantastic weekend away at the end of September at our friends wedding in Cornwall. Bit of a trek but well worth it and we managed to go down a day early to make a proper break of it. I was a bridesmaid so had lots of wedding duties to tend to the evening before and on the day, of course, but we got some quality family time in beforehand and it was wonderful. Baby A squealed with delight when we let her 'off leash' without having to wear her butterfly bag with reigns attached. I felt a pang of guilt - she was so delighted to be free I realised we don't make the time enough to go where she can just run free. Then I got over myself and remembered we've got our beach hut and she runs free on the beach all the time! It was fun though. We went to Tintagel Castle and Baby A adored running all the way down the hill to the actual castle, along by a bubbling stream which she thought was the best thing ever! She was so exhausted by the time we got to the botto...

It's amazing how much filming goes into making these 60 minute shows. We haven't seen it yet but we expect there will be a max 10 mins of footage of us in the episode we are featured. Yet we must have had at least 4 filming sessions which lasted at least. 4 hours each! Crazy. Anyhow, all very exciting stuff. We're very used to bring 'miked up' now, albeit I kept getting the giggles 'on mike' which is probably really annoying for the editing team. Never mind. I'm an amateur, don't you know! And unpaid! It's also all about Mr Big's project and not really to do with me, so I'm trying not to say too much. Anyone who knows me will appreciate that is something I find very difficult, so this really is going to be interesting when its aired! I bet I'm made out to look like some little kept housewife, which couldn't be further from the truth! The final filming day with George was obviously also exciting. Lots of people asked ...

In a previous post, I alluded to the fact Mr Big had 'ideas' on what he wanted to do with our beach hut. By 'ideas' I meant designs. But not just any designs. Oh no. Mr Big went bigger. So we have been selected to appear in a TV show! Featuring our very own beach hut. It's all very exciting & due to be aired in Jan/Feb next year. I'll obviously post more info when I have it, but that's as much as I know for now. Mr Big is a very clever man, as we all know. Although he finds it difficult to take compliments from me, so I will state them here: Mr Big, you amaze me. What you have managed to achieve in the tiniest of spaces is outstanding and frankly, to be commended. It is true I may have moaned from time to time about being a 'beach hut Widdow', however now it is finished, I can see how remarkable it is and I can't wait to enjoy it for years to come. You are a very wonderful, creative and inspired designer as well as a loving hubby ...

Towards the end of summer, we had the air show in our area, which I love. It brings out the aircraft geek in me and I am transfixed by events in the sky. We saw the Red Arrows, the Blades, Miss Demeanour, fighter jets, rocket powered jets, helicopters (including chinooks, which are amazing!) and lots more. We had friends to stay for the show who also loved it and got to experience our then new beach hut. Feedback was extremely positive :) Here are some pics of the weekend. WM x

Here is the first of probably many plugs for my dear Hubby. Since our beach hut creation, Mr Big & Lloydie decided to start a small business. They are clearly a good team and very talented. Here is their website. It is definitely worth a read. Not least for the explanation behind the name. http://www.bambooape.com/ Please also visit and like their page on Facebook. We will be on TV THIS Tuesday!! WM x

I don't know where the time has gone this month. It has been mega-busy with trying to get my business back on track, following a disaster I won't go into here. That's almost recovered as far as I can make it, thank goodness, and the time has just whizzed past in a blur. Baby A's potty training has been going well. We are good with 'wee wee's, but not so good with the other. If I'm completely honest, I still think she's a bit young, but we've started so we've got to keep going now. She doesn't seem to really know when she needs to go, which is difficult, but she is getting the hang of it. I'm really very proud of what she has achieved as we only wear nappies for sleep, and she hasn't had that many accidents. I have admittedly been extremely grateful for the dry weather , to allow me to keep on top of the washing for the accidents we have had (not least as we only have 2 bed sheets so they were on quick rotation when we initia...

Day 1 of 'proper' training was today. We have introduced the idea before, but hoping the concept of 'softly, softly' will hold us in good stead. Up until today I think we have had 1 'wees' on the potty, but LOTS of talk about it! Mr Big will, I am certain, vouch that there has been LOTS of talking, generally, which to be quite honest he is starting to struggle with (which I, of course, find hilarious - he really is outnumbered by talkative females in this house - I just dont think he expected it to have already gotten that way! She is only 2!) So, the foundations have been laid, very slowly, as preparation for today. Foundations included daily (and sometimes several times in a day) reading of a book about a little girl who learns to use the potty - called 'Lou Lou's loo' I think. It's an interactive book, so baby A can get involved in the story, which I think is really helpful. So much reading about 'Lou Lou' and much TALK about t...

I had, dare I say it, a day off yesterday. And it was good. I realised I was in my 'happy place' when, towards the end of the day, I could hear Baby A running round the garden, squealing with delight as she played, with my Mum chasing her, all the while as I cooked dinner for us all & Mr Big was in his element doing 'man stuff' in his workshop he built himself. And everyone was happy. And I had made it that way. And I was happy. In my happy place. It lasted for the briefest of fleeting moments, but I was content. Just for a little while. If I hadn't noted it, the moment would have crept by unnoticed. But I did notice. And I liked it. I felt happy inside. This came at the end of a day spent playing in the glorious weather with Baby A and various playmates. There were sandpits and water tables and bubbles and paddling pools. There was also lots of innocent nakedness as nappies were off, sun cream & hats were on, and the running around & lau...

Baby A has just turned 2. Not a baby any more. My poor heart breaks :( Of course she's much more fun but there is something about her turning 2 that means the baby years are behind us. We had a great family day on her actual birthday - a rare day with just myself, Mr Big & Baby A. We had the party the day after, so we had 'protected time' on the day itself. We had breakfast in bed and presents of course! Baby A was more interested in the eggs than in her gifts, much to Mr Big's and my amusement. We were grateful as I expect she will know all about presents by age 3 and that'll be that - no more innocence around getting gifts - she'll be ripping off paper faster than we can blink & asking where the next one is, before we know it. We had a great day & took bubba to the beach so she could 'go running with the doggies' as she puts it. She can never keep up with said doggies , but she just loves seeing dogs on the beach, and we always go u...

It seems like it's not going to stop. As if our summer won't arrive. And everyone's depressed. Understandably. I felt like that too. That is until I realised how cute Baby A could look! We went strawberry picking. In the rain. And it was FUN! All you 'glumsters' out there should try it! Make some metaphorical sunshine in your life! WM xx